NILAI: Bersatu will form a new alliance after the Negri Sembilan election, says its president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, declaring that it will not be alone.
He said Bersatu had little choice but to build a new bloc if it hoped to remain a force in the 16th General Election.
“To move forward, there isn’t any other option aside from setting up a new coalition,” he told reporters after the party’s candidate announcement here yesterday.
Muhyiddin said he had met leaders from the loose opposition grouping Ikatan Prihatin Rakyat (IPR), which he said comprised at least 12 parties, including the Malaysian Advancement Party.
“They have indicated that they are ready to join us. We also have certain strategies to move forward, especially in facing the 16th General Election.
“Nearly all of them have expressed interest. But let this (state polls) conclude first. We will negotiate and inform,” he added.
Despite the plan, Muhyiddin said Bersatu would remain in Perikatan Nasional for now.
“We are still a member of Perikatan,” he said when asked whether the party intended to leave the coalition.
However, he launched an attack on the PAS-led coalition, saying Perikatan had become “toxic” and had lost the appeal it once enjoyed under his leadership.
“Perikatan has become toxic, it is not the same Perikatan that I led previously, where it was mobbed by people and we felt proud because we won many seats.
“Now, to me, it is kind of ruined because PAS leaders within Perikatan did not show their ability to lead, and issues of governance were not given attention.
“PAS is also undemocratic and statements made by their leaders have confused the people. This is one of the factors why we lost,” he said, referring to Perikatan’s wipeout in the July 11 Johor election.
Contesting under the Perikatan logo in Johor, Muhyiddin said, voters angry with PAS had no way of backing Bersatu as there was “no red on the ballot paper”.
He also declared that Bersatu would be better positioned to obtain support from non-Muslims in the absence of PAS.
“Bersatu has no PAS elements, and if any non-Muslims feel doubtful, Bersatu has non-Malay representatives.
“We also have non-Malays as election candidates because we have allied wings. So we represent all races,” he said.
Bersatu will be contesting 24 seats in the Negri Sembilan polls, including Labu, Jeram Padang, Serting, Juaseh, Paroi, Ampangan, Klawang, Sikamat, Pertang, Sungai Lui, Lenggeng and Linggi.
Among the notable contests, its information chief Datuk Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz will face Perikatan’s Datuk Razali Abu Samah, a former Melaka deputy police chief, and Pakatan Harapan’s Nor Azman Mohamad in Sikamat.
Anti-crime activist Datuk Seri R. Sri Sanjeevan will contest Jeram Padang against Barisan Nasional’s Datuk Mohd Zaidy Abdul Kadir and Pakatan’s Manivanan Gown.
Bersatu will face PAS in at least four seats – Serting, Ampangan, Paroi and Bagan Pinang – and Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin’s Parti Wawasan Negara in Klawang, Sikamat, Mambau and Gemas.
It will avoid three-cornered fights with Gerakan in Bukit Kepayang and the Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP) in Lukut.
The party decided to drop the Perikatan logo after seat negotiations within the coalition broke down amid PAS’ move towards cooperation with Barisan Nasional, which is contesting 25 of the state’s 36 seats.
Nomination is today, with polling set for Aug 1.
